I have ever gone through) Well I got taken to the hospital and realsed, the police said they gave me a break by not arresting me and not taking my license, I still have my license but no car to drive so it doesnt matter. Anyways I got my summons in the mail and I have to go to court tommorow. I am so unbelivably scared I have never been in any kind of trouble before.. Im not a bad kid but now I am so scared of whats going to happen.. I dont even know what to do in court ive never been in one. Does anyone know what I should do or say or how long the trial lasts?
2007-03-14 14:14:59 · 11 answers · asked by marissa w 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I'm a 19 as well. I was also caught in a similar situation but not as bad as crashing my car. I had throw a party at a friends house while he was out of town, and got caught..plain and simple. I was in threat of loosing my college fund due to the damages of the house. I was in the same state of mind as you are. I was not a bad kid at all. I was sentenced to 50 hours community service, a fine, and a one year probation. In the court room you just let everyone talk and tell the truth when asked a question, stay calm and don't panic. Accept that what you did was wrong and bear the punishment.
Another thing, a 19 year old does not have a problem drinking. It is a natural teenage thing to do, parties (on occasion). The only problem we have is not knowing our limits.
Good luck!
2007-03-14 14:35:17 · answer #1 · answered by toncol88 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The judge is going to ask you to enter a plea; guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, you will be sentenced (loss of license, fines, drug/alcohol counseling, whatever). You may or may not be given a chance to ask for a lighter sentence before the judge imposes one (that's where a lawyer comes in handy). If you plead not guilty, the case will be scheduled for trial, and you will have to appear again at a later date.
When the judge asks for your plea, just tell him you don't know what to do (play the stupid kid routine), and he'll assign you a court-appointed lawyer who will explain the advantages and disadvantages of one plea or the other. The judge will probably enter a 'not guilty' plea on your behalf which you can change when the trial date comes up, after you've talked to a lawyer and weighed your options.
Courts see dozens of these cases every day. It's a run-of-the-mill, rubber stamp process for them. Without a lawyer, though, you may get a harsher sentence for the same plea. A lawyer will schmooze a lesser sentence for you. The judge would prefer to get the case over and done with, and not clog up the court with a trial.
2007-03-14 14:40:27 · answer #2 · answered by normobrian 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You definitely need to get yourself an attorney. Take a friend with you tomorrow for moral support. It's been several years since I've had to go to court, but I think (if this is your first appearance for this) that the judge may ask if you wish to get an attorney, have one appointed for you or go it alone. You should take the option of getting your own (yes, it's going to cost you). If you choose to do this, you'll get a delay or something along those lines. Again, I'm not a legal expert, but you seriously need to consult with an attorney. You may want to also take the initiative (as someone else has said) of going for some sort of alcohol counseling - at the very least, an evaluation.
2007-03-14 14:26:24 · answer #3 · answered by Sunidaze 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure you probably got the summons before today. You should have already gotten a lawyer. Why are you just asking about this now?
I'm sure you are very, very scared and I hope that things go the best possible for you. However, you are also incredibly stupid to have been drinking and driving. You are also incredibly fortunate that you did not hurt anyone. They should have taken away your license.
I hope that you will never, ever even think about getting behind the wheel again if you have had even one drink.
I do wish you well, but there is no excuse for drunk driving.
2007-03-14 14:26:09 · answer #4 · answered by Debra G 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would stand up in court and be honest. If this is your first offense, most judges will give you a postponement on good behavior, meaning that the charges could be dropped if you stay out of trouble for a few years.
I would also suggest you atleast consult a lawyer, if not have one with you in court.
2007-03-14 14:29:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I used to stay in south texas and suffered a similar situation. i could continuously gown my daughter in a hundred% cotton, use widow monitors, conceal the vehicle seat whilst it grow to be parked and that i could positioned a skinny dish towel interior the freezer for a minimum of a few hours and then positioned it between my toddler and the vehicle seat. (If the towel is only too chilly or damp, positioned a sparkling dry dish towel between the chilly one and your baby.) in case you forget approximately to chill out a dish towel till now your travels, only positioned a sparkling dry a hundred% cotton sheet in the back of your toddler. vehicle seats are many times guy made and that makes the warmth and sweating plenty worse. toddler powder is likewise stable, yet attempt to apply the talc loose ones - they're safer for you and your toddler. chuffed and cool vacationing! Wow! Very dramatic under. while you're an authority you need to comprehend that organic components have be scientifically shown to be cooler than a lot of those guy-made fibers and consequently are cooler on pores and skin touch. additionally, putting a sheet between a baby and a seat is somewhat, if in any respect a protection threat, because it fairly is only too skinny to translate to an extension of the protection harnesses. Many agencies make sheets and blankets to be utilized in vehicle seats.
2016-09-30 22:43:44 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the trial will last about 5-10 minutes unless you injured others. but so much will happen so fast, you will not be able to help yourself. you absolutely need a lawyer.
2007-03-14 14:28:53 · answer #7 · answered by WJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Everyone makes mistakes. Get a lawyer. If they ask you if you need legal representation, say yes.
2007-03-14 14:25:34 · answer #8 · answered by Matt 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Admit the truth and be thankful you did not kill someone. Get into a alcohol treatment program (yes you need it. a 19 year getting drunk definitely has a drug/alcohol problem).
2007-03-14 14:21:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Get a lawyer, your past good behavior should help...
2007-03-14 14:26:24 · answer #10 · answered by i_love_my_mp 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋